Coming Home
by omens
Summary: When Paige comes back to Toronto for a visit, romance is the last thing on her mind. What happens when innocent fun has it's consequences? Futuerfic. !On Hold!
1. Chapter 1

"I don't care what he said, I want those contracts signed and on my desk by the time I get back or else." Paige snapped her phone shut and looked around the restaurant she had stumbled into to escape the rain. It was a large spacious two storie building in the most bustling area of downtown Toronto.The decorations were simple yet tasteful. And it was relatively uncrowded for a late summer morning.

"Can I help you Miss?" a voice asked behind her. She turned to the hostess and asked for a table by the window. She loved to watch it rain, and surely her mom wouldn't mind her being late if she were eating breakfast.

Once seated, she ordered and pulled out the reports she had brought with her. Just because she was taking a week off didn't mean she wasn't going to slack. She hadn't becaome the youngest executive at Horizon Media, the largest advertising agency in Montreal, by chance.

"As I live and breath, Paige Michalchuck."

Paige looked up and squealed in surprise. "Spin!" she cried at the sight of him, jumping out of her chair and throwing her arms around his neck. He wrapped his own around her waist and spun her around before depositing her back on her feet. "What are you doing here?" they asked at the same time and then erupted into giggles.

"This is my restaurant." he said.

"You own this place?" she asked in disbelief.

He nodded. "Yeah. Guess all those years at the Dot finally got to me. I've been here about three years."

"Wow. That's great Spin." she smiled warmly at him and noticed the changes in him. It had been almost seven years since she had last seen him at his graduation. She had gone back as a promise to Ash, and had ended up spending an entire night at a diner in town with her, Spinner, and Jimmy. He had grown up was the first thought that popped into her head. He had lost the boyish look to his face that he'd still had the last time she saw him and she was pretty much awed at the height he had grown to and the now staggering width of his shoulders. Decidedly not a boy anymore.

He held her chair out for her to sit back down and pulled the one across from it out to join her. "What are you doing back in town? Last I heard you were a big ad executive in Montreal."

The waitress brought her food, raising her eybrows slightly at her boss sitting with this woman in the way too expensive shoes. Paige thanked the girl and turned back to Spinner, still grinning at her. "My parents' thirtieth anniversary is this weekend. Dylan and Marco are throwing them a huge party, so naturally I have to be here."

"Yeah, Marco mentioned it." he said offhandedly, picking off her plate like he used to. "What brings you out so early?"

"I got in last night and my cell died, so I had to come out for a new battery." she explained, taking a bite of her eggs.

Spinner raised his eyebrows and picked up the phone laying at her elbow. She laughed. "It's Dylan's."

"Business can't wait?"

"I'm impatient."

He laughed again. "Don't I know it."

She shrugged and they ate in silence off her plate for a few minutes. Spinner broke the silence a few moments later by asking if she was married. She answered that she wasn't.

"Boyfriend? Kids?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Just me."

He nodded and she asked him the same thing. "Just me, too."

She looked down at her watch. "I gotta go Spin. This was great. We should get together while I'm in town."

"Yeah, we should. We have seven years to catch up on." He walked her to the door and when she took out her wallet to pay for breakfast he insisted that it was on him.

"Thanks." she said sincerely. With an appraising eye she looked him up and down. "You look good Spin."

Spinner actually blushed and looked away and Paige was reminded briefly of the fourteen year old boy she once knew. It made her think of an easier time and she felt a pang of longing for those days.

"You want to have dinner tomorrow night?" Spinner asked hr when they reached the front door.

She smiled at him. "I'd love to. I'm staying with my parents, give me a call and we'll set it up. Bye hun."


	2. Chapter 2

"Let me get this straight," Marco said, "you have a date with _Spinner_?"

Paige rolled er eyes. "It's not a date. It's having dinner with an old friend."

"Old friend?" he asked skeptically. "Paige, Spinner was your first love."

She put down the tube of mascara she had been applying as she got reday for dinner and turned to face Marco. "That was high school Marco. Spin and I are long past that. We're friends now."

"Whatever you say." He picked his jacket off the bed and walked to the doorway of her room, throwing a goodbye over his shoulder. She turned back to her mirror and finished putting on her make up. When Marco had shown up an hour ealier she had been really happy to see him. But once he started in on why her 'going out' with Spinner was a bad idea, she just really wanted him to leave.

_'Like Spin is planning some big romantic evening in an attempt to woo me.' _Paige thought. She laughed at the idea and headed out the door.

"You look beautiful."

Paige had been standing by the bar of Spinner's restaurant, which she now knew was called Mason's, admiring the difference she saw. After dark the lighting was dimmed, there were candles spread all over, and soft jazz was playing over hidden speakers. Very, very romantic. Also very, very crowded. It seemed to be the hot date spot of the moment.

The voice, lower and huskier than the day before, whispered against her ear, startled her and she whirled around. Spinner was standing behind her with a smile playing across his lips that she hadn't seen in years. Her smile. The one he had always saved just for her to let her know how special she was to him. She loved that smile.

Paige shook her head. There was no reason to think things like that. She looked Spinner over and decided she had been right the day before. He had aged very well.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in a suit before." she said, plucking at the dark blue tie he wore. "It suits you. No pun intended."

Spinner recognized the look in Paige's eyes instantly. She was nervous. Which meant he was right and she did think of this as a date. He was instantly glad he had decided on one of the only two suits he owned. There had always been something about Paige that made him want to better for her, even if it was just in terms of his clothes.

"I had the staff save us the best table in the house." he said, putting a hand on her back and directing her towards the back. It became apparent right away why this was considered the best table. For one, it was near the back corner next to a large window with a perfect veiw of the park fountain across the street. They were also partially hidden thanks to the wall and the dim lighting.

"Well, at least we'll have some privacy back here." she said once they were seated. Lame, but it was the only thing she could think of after Spinner had pulled her chair out for her. He'd never done that before.

"That was the idea." he said in that same low voice he had used before. Suddenly, she was struck with the memories of the last two times he'd used that particular tone with her. The night they had kissed at the Dot, and the next in her room. And tonight wasn't suppossed to be anything like those.

"So," she said brightly in an attempt to pull the evening back to it's original intentions, "what have you been doing for the past seven years?"

They talked about his senior year. His family. Cooking school. And finally, the disastrous three year relationship with Darcy.

"What happened with you guys?" she asked.

"During her first year of university, she began talking about marriage. I suggested we we wait until we both had careers before we discussed it." he began.

"Sounds sensible."

"I thought so. But apparently, Darcy wanted to get married and have kids right away. School was just a way to kill time until then."

"So she dumped you because you wanted to wait? Can you say drama queen." Paige remarked.

He smiled at her comment. Exactly the same old Paige. "No." he said. "She dumped me when I told her that I realized while I was thinking it over that I didn't want to marry her. Ever."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. As much as I cared about her...the idea of actually being married to her, for the rest of my life, kinda gave me the hives." he said with a slight shudder.. Paige laughed. She raised her glass up and tipped it toward him. "Well then, here's to brutal honesty." Spinner smiled and clinked his glass against hers.

"What about you? Ever been close to getting married?"

She sighed. "Not unless a two year long distance relationship with a guy whose visits I dreaded counts as 'close.'"

He raised his glass back up. "Here's to answering machines."

"And voice mail." she added with a clink.

They talked about her job. Her life in Montreal. And her dream to woo her firm's biggest clients and then start her own company.

"Do you wanna dance?" Spinner asked suddenly.

"Dance?"

"This is a great song." he said sheepishly. And she had to agree. The sexy, somewhat smoky music wafting throught he hidden speakers were perfect for dancing.

Paige hesitated. It was obvious that Spinner thought this was a date and she so obviously didn't. The look in his eyes was a little too passionate, smoldering too much for her comfort level.

"I won't bite. Promise." he said.

She smiled. It was just one dance after all. What could it hurt?

Taking hold of his extended hand she said, "Only if you promise not to step on my toes this time."

"You have my word."

He led her to the dance floor, placing one hand on the small of her back, pulling her close, and clasping hers in the other. Placing her other around his neck, she snuggled slightly against his chest. "This is nice."

"Yeah," he agreed, "it is."

_Another day, with nothing to do  
There ain't no way I'm  
Gonna make it through  
Cause every time I close my eyes  
All I see is you_

I don't know why I need ya  
But every day I'm deeper  
Baby why can't I keep ya  
Out of my mind

"I've thought about you a lot over the years Paige." he whispered.

"I've thought about you, too." Paige confessed, letting the atmosphere and the proximity pull her into a hazy web. She felt like she used to when Spinner held her like this. Safe and loved and almost innocent. "Especially during the bad times. You mean a lot to me Spin."

_Ooh I hate myself  
For feeling you  
But I can't help  
Feeling like I do_

I don't know why I need ya  
But every day I'm deeper  
Baby why can't I keep ya  
Out of my mind

"What would you say if I asked you to go on a picnic tomorrow?" he breathed against her ear, his hand sliding up and down her back.

_All I see is you_

I don't know why I need ya  
But every day I'm deeper  
Baby why can't I keep ya  
Out of my mind  
Out of my mind

"I'd say, that if you keep that up a picnic probably wouldn't be too good of an idea." she answered. At once he ceased moving his hand.

"Now will you come?"

She pulled back far enough to smile at him. "You're on."

_I don't know why I need ya  
But every day I'm deeper  
Baby why can't I keep ya  
Out of my mind  
Out of my mind_

"Out of My Mind" by Andrea Lewis


	3. Chapter 3

A quiet picnic in the park was suppossed to be the plan the next day. Just the two of them on a blanket under the same tree they had picnicked under countless times in high school.

That **was** the plan. But plans change. Especially when an unprecedented thunderstorm pops up.

"I can't beleive you didn't know it was going to rain." Paige said for the third time.

"The weather said it was going to clear and sunny all day." Spinner told her. It was the fourth time he had said it.

Paige muttered under her breath while Spinner unlocked the door to his apartment over the restaurant. Since he lived so close to the park, they had walked over and run back when the downpour began. There was a seperate set of stairs on the side of the building leading up to his place, and they were both aggitated at nearly having fallen on the damp wood in their mad haste inside.

Paige wrapped her arms around herself once indoors. "I'm freezing. Since when is it so cold in August?"

Flicking on a light, Spinner put down the picnic basket Paige had brought over and ran a hand through his soaked hair, going down the hallway to his bedroom.. He went into his room and pulled a tee shirt and a pair of sweatpants out of his bureau and headed back to the living room. Paige was rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them up.

"Here." he said handing her the clothes. "Put these on and I throw yours in the dryer."

Piage smiled at him warmly. "Thanks Spin."

He directed her to the bathroom and he grabbed himself a change of clothes from the laundry room and changed in record time. By the time Paige emerged from the bathroom, he was building a fire.

"A fire in August?"

"You're the one who said you were cold." he said.

The fire going and their clothes in the dryer, they decided to spread out another blanket and enjoy their picnic in the living room in front of the fireplace.

"This feels kind of familiar, doesn't it?" she asked.

Spinner drank the last of his soda and looked lazily up at her. "I don't think we ever had an indoor picnic Paige."

She rolled her eyes. "I meant the fireplace. If I rememebr correctly, we spent more than one evening in front of your parents' back in school."

He grinned. "Those were good times."

"Yeah they were." she said wistfully.

"Do you remember the way you and Hazel would always meet me and Jimmy after my shifts in the summer?" he asked.

"When we'd been at the pool all day and Jimmy had been at basketball camp." she said.

"And we'd go watch some dumb movie or go bowling then pig out on ice cream and french fries." he finished.

"God, summer was the best. Do you remember," she sat up from where they had been stretched out side by side on the floor, "that time we talked you guys into playing paintball and Jimmy and I paired up and attacked you two?"

Spinner laughed. "Hazel complained about paint under her nails until October."

Paige laughed. "I miss those days."

"Me, too."

"You ever wish you had a time machine?" she asked softly. Spinner looked up at her in suprise, remembering when he'd said that to her. The night before the last day of school when they had slept together.

"All the time." he answered honestly.

"I really regret the way I ended things Spin. I should have been a little nicer about it."

He smirked. "You mean when you said you didn't want to get back together, or when you dumped me?"

She smacked his arm playfully. "You deserved to be dumped and you know it. I meant the former. I probably should have said something that night."

"About only wanting a one night stand?" he teased.

She turned serious. "It was way more than that Spin."

His own expression grew more somber. "Really?"

"Of course!" she creid. "How could you think you could ever not mean something to me?"

"Well, you weren't exactly nice to me your senior year."

"I was just angry. We all were. I'm so sorry for the way we, the way **I** treated you. It was horrible."

"Paige, that's water under the bridge. Don't worry about it. If it had been somebody else, I would have done the same thing." he assurred her, placing a hand on her arm and squeezing gently.

She covered his hand with her own. "Do you ever think about what would have happened if we hadn't broken up?"

"You mean if I'd never gotten involved with Manny? Or had that fight with Craig?"

"Yeah. Or gotten that awful harircut." she luaghed.

"Hey! I liked that haircut." he protested.

"Oh come on Spin, you looked like that guy from Flock of Seagulls."

"True." he admitted sheepishly.

"Seriously, if I hadn't broken up with you, what do you think would have happened?" she looked down into the cup of coffee he had given her, almost afriad to look at him. Truth be told, she had wondered that exact question a million times over the years.

Spinner shrugged. "I don't know. I doubt you would have hooked up with Alex." he smiled.

She hit him again. "Stop thinking about it. Perv."

"Okay, to be completely honest, I think we would be married and have kids by now."

Paige stared at him in astonishment. "You do?"

"Yeah. I don't know if I ever told you this, but I told Craig in grade ten that I already knew you were the one for me. If we had stayed together, I probably would have popped the question right after graduation." he admitted.

"No, you never told me that." she whispered.

"I would have. Back then...there was nothing I wanted more than you."

Silently, Paige set her mug on the end table beside the couch and leaned over to where Spinner was still lying on the floor. He watched with half closed eyes as she bent down, her hair falling in a curtain around them both, and kissed him. Instinctively, he wound one hand in her still damp hair as the other snaked around her waist, pulling her down on top of him.

Paige placed her hands on either side of his face, feeling the light stubble on his cheeks. He rolled them over and pulled up slightly, checking to see if she really wanted to do this. She ran her hands down his cheeks and over his chest to the hem of his tee shirt. They locked eyes, a silent question an answer passing between them. Spinner raised his arms and Paige sat up a bit, tugging the shirt over his head and then pulling his face back down to hers.Their mouths crashed as Spinner jerked the blanket from their picnic over toward them. He kissed his way down her throat and she let her ands roam over his shoulders and neck.

They fell asleep in front of the dying fire hours later with the food spilled all over the carpet and Paige's head nestled into Spinner's arm. The rain still falling outside would lull them into a peaceful sleep unlike any either had enjoyed in years where they would both dream of a night years earlier melding into that very afternoon. And neither of them wanted to emerge from their little world when the phone began to ring.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ugh." Paige groaned as the phone continued to blare it's shrill ring. She buried her face against the crook of Spinner's elbow whining, "Spin, would you **please** get that."

"You're kind of on my arm." he muttered, not even bothering to move. "And besides, it's your phone."

"So?"

Spinner laughed, and given that she was snuggled up against him from head to toe, Paige could feel it vibrate throughout the length of body. She smiled at the sensations coursing through her.

The phone stopped and they both sighed. "Good. Now I can go back to sleep." Paige mumbled. Spinner didn't hear her. He was too distracted by the way her words felt being said against his skin. It felt new and famaliar and intimate and right all at the same time and he couldn't explain why. He began skating his fingers up and down her spine, from the small of her back to the nape of her neck, back and forth, over and over again.

"Mmmm. That feels nice." she whispered. Scooting up slightly, she buried her face against his neck, placing a small kiss directly where his pulse was beating. She breathed deeply, inhaling that familiar scent that she always associated with him. Ivory soap, sweat, sunshine, fresh air, and something a little spicy just below the surface. It made her feel like a kid again and a million happy memories flooded back to her. Memories of days at the beach and nights in the park and snow days in his parent's rec room. The best two years of her life were wrapped up in that smell.

Spinner chuckled as she continued to sniff his neck. "That tickles."

Settling her head underneath his chin, Paige began playing with one of his hands, comparing her own fingers against the much larger ones. "Spin ..." she trailed off, unsure of what to say. After all, this wasn't suppossed to be happening.

"Yeah?" He was playing with the ends of her hair like he used to when they were alone. Paige had always loved it when he did that. He never understood why. He'd assumed that she liked that he was appreciating how much time she spent on it every day. Then she told him Terri had read in some body language article that when a guy touched your hair it meant his feelings for you were really deep.

And Paige noticed. His doing that used to make her melt. Then when she told him what it meant, he would blush when she caught him doing it and that just made her love him all the more. "I was just wondering ... "

"Yeah?" he prodded. He was now running his fingers through her hair from root to tip, masssging her scalp. She felt all the tension in her body melt away until she was afraid there would be nothing left of her but a pile of mush.

"Keep that up and I'll go back to sleep." she warned.

He increased the pressure. "Go ahead."

"Spin." She pulled back enough to look him in the eye. His expression was tender, affectionate. Known. "What now?"

"I was thinking about another nap myself." he answered. She smiled. The same honesty. Almost innocent in it's frankness and completely Spinner.

"Not that. I meant this. Where do we go from here?"

Realization dawned on him and he nodded slowly. "Oh. Where do you want it to go?"

"I don't know. I'm only in town until Sunday." She didn't want to hurt him. She'd done that enough in the past, but she had to tell him the truth. Better to know now than be suprsied later, that was her motto.

"Then we'll worry about it Sunday. Right now let's just enjoy it." he said, pulling her back to her previous position, nestled against him with his chin on top of her head.

"When did you get so wise?" she asked playfully, tracing patterns across his back with her fingertips.

"Oh you know, just here and there." came the reply. She nodded.

They lingered in that hazy little world in front of the fire for awhile longer, Spinner lulling Paige to sleep with his hands in her hair and her tickling him slightly by ghosting her nails along his back and neck in a way that made sense to no one but her. Then withouth warning, the phone began to ring again.

"Nooo." she moaned, pressing her face against his chest. "Make it stop."

It did. And his began to sound the next second.

"It's a conspircy." he joked, still amused at Paige's attempt to hide from the noise.

There was a beep as the answering machine picked up. His own voice rang out, instructing the caller to leave a message, followed by another beep.

"Spin." Marco's voice echoed through the apartment. "If you're there pick up. Dylan's having a meltdown and he can't get a hold of Paige. I know you two had plans today, so if you see her tell her to call him." One more beep and then there was silence.

"You know," Paige's voice cut through the awkwardness, "I love my brother, but he has the **worst** timing of anyone on the face of the planet." She rolled away from Spinner, grabbing the large shirt he had given her ealier, and yanked it over her head.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sitting up.

"I'm gonna call Dylan and see what the drama is." She said, dialing the numbers on Spinner's phone with astounding speed. He answered almost immeadiately, in the midst of a full fledged panic attack. Spinner could hear him from the other side of the room. "Dylan, just calm down." Paige said. It obvously didn't happen, for she held the phone out from her ear for several seconds, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Dylan," she said calmly, bringing th phone back when the yelling had calmed a bit, "it's going to be fine. I'll take care of it." She paused while he spoke. "I don't know yet, but I'll call you back when I do." Her eyes landed back on Spinner and she grinned brightly.

"What's wrong, and what's that look?" he asked suspiciously. He knew that smile and it was never good.

"The banquet hall where the party was suppossed to be just got flooded. So now we have a hundred relatives flying in and no venue."

"That explains Dylan's tantrum, but I don't get the smirk."

"Well," she said, sidling back over to him slowly, deliberately, "I was just sort of hoping that maybe," she settled herself on his lap, delighting in the minute widdening of his eyes at her actions, "this certain restauranteur friend of mine could help me out."

Now it all made sense. Shrugging, a half-smile quirking the corners of his mouth upwards he replied "That could possibly be arranged. For the right incentive."

Winding her arms around his neck, fingers disappearing up into his hair, Paige leaned in closer until her lips were a breath away from his, letting her breath mingle with his. "What kind of incentive?"

She delighted in the audible gulp that eminated from him. "You're the big ad exec," he drawled, "be creative."

"I'll show you creative." she murmured, and kissed him soundly, giggling as he pulled her back down to the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

...0...0...0...0...0...0...

Marco smirked smugly when he saw Paige and Spinner walk down into the restaurant from Spinner's apartment laughing. He figured there was a reason Paige hadn't been answering her phone, and if he'd been forced to guess he would have said the reason was Spinner.

Paige glanced over and saw him and Dylan waiting by the bar. She shook her head at Dylan's worried expression.

"Paige!" he exclaimed in relief when he saw her. "What is this brilliant idea of yours?"

She smiled up at Spinner before answering. "We can have it here."

Dylan glanced at Spinner in deisbelief. "Really?"

"Sure man. I've recruited the staff and got a sample menu planned." Spinner said.

"Already?"

Spinner laughed. "What can I say, your sister is highly persuasive when she wants to be." He glanced down at her and she flushed slightly.

Marco stiffled a chuckle.

"This is so great Spin, thank you." Dylan puts an arm around him and they walk off toward the kitchen, deep in conversation about shrimp versus halibut.

"So ... " Marco says in a singsong voice, waggling his eyebrows.

Paige eyed him warily. "What?"

"And just what have the two of you been doing all day?" Marco asked. "Because there are very few activities that can get Paige Michalchuck to ignore a ringing phone."

Paige felt the heat creeping up her neck, a mixture of embarassment and anger. "You caught me. Spinner and I had hot, wild sex all day right over a restaurant full of people." she said sarcastically. She hoped Marco wouldn't see through her defensiveness.

"Okay, I get it. None of my business." He held his hands up in defense. Glancing over to where Dylan had Spinner cornered he laughed. "I'm gonna get over there befor Dyaln makes Spinner want to throttle him."

With a sigh full of regret, Paige sat down in one of the empty bar stools. Why had she just done that? Any of it. She was a grown woman, she didn't have to apologize for sleeping with somebody. Unless he was married or something. And she certainly didn't have to explain it. What was wrong with her? There was a time when she would have gladly recounted every detail to Marco over coffee and cookies in his kitchen while Dylan was out playing hockey. Did she regret it? She wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it was the idea of having sex with your high school boyfriend on a whim that seemed slightly pathetic to her.

But then Spinner threw a warm smile at her and she knew that she didn't regret anything. Spinner was a good part of her past, she was glad to have all the amazing memories of him that she did. And now she could add today to that list.

Marco's knowing look when he cuaght the little glance they kept throwing at each other made the real reason hit her square in the stomach. She didn't want to tell Marco because it was too personal.

The private details of her romantic life, however sordid or pitiful they were, didn't mean as much to her as when combined as just the one day she had spent with Spinner. He meant too much to her, always had.

That's the way first loves worked. They never really went away. Not completely.

...0...0...0...0...0...0...

Spinner kept the restaurant open late on Friday nights. Since college he, Ash, Jimmy, and occasionaly Marco, would have dinner together and maybe go out for a movie or something. It was their way of staying connected. Naturally, with Paige back in town she was invited.

Jimmy and Ash were already there when she arrived. They were sitting with Spinner in the same corner booth they had had dinner in. It was hard to believe that she was looking at the same golden couple of grade eight. She hardly recognized Jimmy with the goatee he was sporting and Ash was dressed like she belonged at Woodstock. Not to mention the fact that she was eight months pregnant with her third child.

"Paige!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her. Or as much as she could with her huge belly in the way.

"Hi." she squealed, pulling bak to look Ash up and down. "Oh my God, look at you."

Ash rubbed her hands over her stomach. "I know. Pretty wild, huh?"

"Very. And I hope you brought pictures."

The cooing over the pictures of Ash and Jimmy's boys lasted way too long in Paige's opinion, but she politely gushed over every single one.

"What about you Paige, don't you ever want to have kids?" Jimmy asked once the photos were finally put away and he dinner was set on the table.

"Ever? I'm 26, not 46. There's still time if I ever decide to." she said.

"But having kids is so amazing ..." Ash got a dreamy expression on her face as she talked. "I don't know why anyone would want to wait."

"Well, there is the little problem of me not having a husband, or even a serious boyfriend for that matter." she said.

"Not really a requirement." Spinner said, as he picked a tomatoe out of her salad.

She swatted at his hand. "Maybe I just don't have the Mommy gene. No offense, but when I see a baby I don't ooh and ahh. All I can think of is runny noses and dirty diapers." Paige wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Jimmy saw the retort flariring up in his wife's eyes and interjected before things got ugly. "I guess it's not for everybody."

Paige and Spinner both shot Jimmy greatful looks while Ash stuck her lower lid out in pout. Paige sighed. It was going to be a long night.

...0...0...0...0...0...0...

"Can you believe Ash? What was up with her trying to imply that there's something wrong with me because I don't see the glamour in being barefoot and pregnant?" Paige demanded angrily.

Spinner looked over at her from behind his counter. He knew she was angry, beyond angry, at Ash's remarks that had continued through dinner. He just hoped the wine he was uncorking and some time would cool her down.

"It's the hormones. Ash always gets like that. By the time the baby is three weeks old she'll be ready to sell it to the highest bidder." He handed her a glass of Merlot and she sipped it thankfully.

"Do you think it's strange that I don't particularly want to be a mother?" she asked quietly. "Be honest."

"I think everyone has the right to choose." he said.

Paige scoffed. "That's really helpful Spin."

"Alright. Honestly, I always figured you'd want at least one."

"I just ..." she searched for the right words, "I don't have room in my life for a baby."

"Okay."

She scowled at him. "What about you? Do you think I'm a horrible person like Ash?"

"Paige, I could never think that." His voice was tender and his eyes soft. He brushed a stray tendril of hair back out of her face gently, letting his fingers slide down her face.

Spinner was standing on one side of the counter that acted as a divider for the living room and kitchen. Paige was on the living room side, and at his touch, she leaned up on the counter to softly brush her lips against his.

He responded without thinking, his hands sliding up to her cheeks as her own wound in his hair. Paige moaned against his lips, and he gripped her tighter. "Paige." he whispered huskily.

She pulled back and looked at through heavily lidded eyes. "I don't think we're in the best place for this." She tapped the counter dividing them.

"Wanna move this somewhere else?" he asked. She smiled at the somewhat shakiness in his voice.

"Yeah," she said as she kissed him again, "I do."

...0...0...0...0...0...0...


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Not my bet, but here you go.**_

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

The scent of fresh coffee brewing roused Paige awake the next morning. Smiling, she stretched and rolled over, luxuriating in the feel of Sinner's gigantic bed. She didn't know why he had chosen a bed so large, but not for the first time was she thankful.

Spying the button down shirt Spinner had been wearing the night before at the foot of the bed, Paige threw it on to go see where her companion had disappeared to.

She found him in the front of the stove, carefully attending to something that smelled delicious. Tiptoeing so as not to be detected, she wrapped her arms around his waist, peppering small kisses along his bare back.

"Mmm, now that's a 'good morning'." Spinner laughed.

"What are you making? It smells amazing." Paige said, burying her face against his shoulder blade.

"Venetian omelet. House specialty." he replied as he removed one hand from the pan and placed it on top of hers that was lying across his stomach.

"Well it, and the coffee, smell heavenly. What are the odds that I can get you share?"

"Share?" he asked incredulously, "Who do you think I'm making this for?"

Paige squealed in delight. She was ridiculously happy. Happier than she'd been in a long time. She felt like she was in some weird type of time loop alternate universe and a large part of her never wanted it to end.

"You are the best. Did I ever tell you that?" she asked, letting her hands run up and down over his stomach.

"Best what?" he inquired, a mischievous lilt coming into his voice.

Paige's hands started sliding a little further down, and she smiled triumphantly at his soft groan. "Best **everything**." she added with heavy emphasis on the word.

Spinner turned around and captured her lips heatedly. Paige brought her hands up to tangle in his hair, deepening the kiss greedily while his arms wound around her back.

"Yo, Spin, you home man?"

Jimmy's voice caused the two to break apart, but not before he had seen them.

"Sorry guys." The smirk on his face belied his shock, but he still couldn't contain the laughter that was shining through in his eyes and his voice.

"Hi Jimmy." Paige said coolly, using her most professional voice to hide the mortification at being caught in such a private moment.

"Dude, I was happy to build that lift so you could get up here," Spinner told him, "but there is an intercom down there."

"Now where's the fun in that?" Jimmy laughed.

"I think I'm gonna go get dressed." Paige announced as she headed off to Spinner's room, clasping the partially unbuttoned collar of her shirt together.

Once the bedroom door shut, Spinner glared at his friend. "Thanks a lot."

Jimmy gave him a look. "Like I had any idea you were up here with Paige about to cook a little more than eggs in the kitchen." he pointedly stared at the omelet Spinner had fixed.

Spinner flushed. "You still should have buzzed first."

They both shut up when they heard the bedroom door open. Paige came out, now dressed in her jeans and sweater from the night before. She blushed furiously when she spotted Jimmy still smirking at her, and hated herself for reacting that way. She had no reason to be embarrassed.

Paige kissed Spinner quickly and chastely on the cheek as she passed him. "I'll see you tonight." She glanced over at Jimmy, still smirking at the table. "Jim."

"Paige. Great seeing you again."

She left and Jimmy turned to a glaring Spinner. "Can I have her omelet?"

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

Spinner walked down the stairs into the restaurant tying the tie he hated to wear, but knew that Paige would like it. Marco had been by earlier and the entire place was decorated with flowers and tiny twinkling lights. He had also arranged several large photos of Mr. and Mrs. Michalchuck placed throughout the room. The serving crew walked around, setting up tables with the best crystal and china he had and carrying trays of champagne. It all looked perfect.

One of the waiters asked him where the ice buckets were supposed to be set up, and he noticed Paige coming in out of the corner of his eye. He excused himself, and walked towards her. Her face lit up when she noticed him coming her way.

"Have I ever told you how cute you look in a suit?" she asked, tugging playfully on his tie.

"Once or twice," he replied, stepping closer to her, "but I'm not opposed to hearing it again."

She laughed and kissed him softly. "The place looks amazing, Spin."

"You look amazing," he corrected.

Paige felt mildly embarrassed at the flush creeping up her neck. She'd had a feeling Spinner would like her dress. While she herself had always been fond of pinks and pastels, he had always liked her in darker colors. So when it came time to get ready for that night, she had chosen a strapless wine colored dress and hoped he would like it.

Once more, she felt like she was a kid again. She had been out on her own for years, and prided herself on being independent and self-sufficient. The men that came and went in her life were just there, more afterthoughts than anything else. But in just a few days, Spinner had managed to integrate himself into her heart the same way he had when they were fifteen and first falling for one another.

She was beginning to wonder if he'd ever truly left.

"I love your dress," he told her.

She smiled triumphantly. "I had a feeling you would."

"Paige!"

She turned around to see Dylan and Marco leading her parents into the restaurant, followed by the first wave of Michalchuck relatives. Her mother raced right over to them and hugged Spinner tightly.

"Gavin," she said, "you are so sweet for doing this."

Paige fought back the laugh threatening to erupt at the look on Spinner's face.

"Yeah, well." he said shyly.

Her father clapped him on the shoulder, looking proudly at Paige. "Our little Paige has a good friend in this one," he announced to the small circle that had formed around them. "First boyfriend you know," he said conspiratorially to her uncle next to him, "and they still keep in touch."

"So Dad," Dylan interjected, "Spinner put out all his best stuff. Look, salmon."

Mr. Michalchuck headed off to the food table, while his wife and a few relatives went to sit down. Paige and Spinner were left alone and they both burst out laughing. The crowd was growing steadily, and they pressed closer to get some semblance of privacy.

"Sorry about that, but you know my parents always like you." Paige said.

"It's okay, I like them too." he assured her.

"So, think you may want to dance?" she asked.

The D.J. had been given a list of her parents' favorite songs, which he began playing when they came in the door.

"I think I can do that. If you keep your father from telling that story about what happened at Christmas in grade ten." he responded.

"But he loves to tell that story," she teased.

Spinner flushed hotly. "It wasn't funny." he muttered.

Paige took his hands and pulled him out onto the floor. "Aw," she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I'm sorry. You're right, it wasn't funny."

He nodded, not believing her, but pulled her close just the same as they began to sway to the music.

_I've been loving you too long_

_To stop now_

"You know, Dylan and I chipped in to buy my parents cruise tickets for their anniversary."

"That's nice of you," he said offhandedly, not really sure what the point was.

"Yeah. They're actually leaving tonight after the party." she said.

_My love is growing stronger, as you've become a habit to me  
I've been loving you _

_A little too long   
I don't wanna stop now _

"I was thinking," she added, "that I'm not really too keen on the idea of staying in the house by myself. "

"Well, you could stay with Dylan and Marco I guess, but …"

She laughed. "Or … I could stay with you."

Spinner's face changed when he realized what she was asking. His face broke into a huge grin, and he dipped her backwards, delighting in her little squeal of surprise.

_With you my life   
Has been so wonderful  
I can't stop now  
_

_I've been loving you a little too long  
I don't wanna stop now _

"I think that might be okay. Especially seeing as how you're going back to Montreal tomorrow."

Paige's face softened. "I'm really going to miss you Spin. The last few days have been incredible."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'm gonna miss you too. Just promise you'll come back by the next time you're in town."

"Just try and stop me."

_I've been loving you a little too long  
I don't wanna stop now _

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

"_**Loving You Too Long" by Otis Redding**_


	7. Chapter 7

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

"Paige."

"Hmm?"

"Your phone's ringing again."

Paige snuggled further down into the covers of Spinner's bed, pressing herself flush against him. "Let it ring."

Spinner chuckled wand wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. "If you say so," he whispered against her hair.

She sighed, feeling all of the bad stuff she had been holding in for so long evaporate. As much as she liked to pretend otherwise; her life wasn't that great. An amazing job was all well and good, but it required at least an eighteen hour work day-leaving time for very little else. For a long time she had been trying to convince herself that it was enough.

Now, wrapped up n Spinner's arms, she was more certain than ever that it was far from enough.

The phone stopped ringing, and she sighed contentedly. It had been going off every few minutes for the last hour, but she refused to answer it, knowing it was probably work. She had another day left before she had to think about it and she intended to use it to its fullest advantage.

"That could have been important you know," Spinner said. "They've been calling all night."

Paige pulled back and quirked an eyebrow at him. "More important than what we're doing right now?"

The grin that broke out on his face was so sincere; it caused a matching one to spread across her own while she awaited his answer.

"Well," he said, "we're not really **doing** anything at the moment."

"Yes we are," she insisted. "We're … getting reacquainted."

Spinner nodded, knowing all too well that Paige's mind could rarely be changed on anything. "Reacquainted. I think I like that."

She returned to her previous position, cozier in that moment than she ha been in a long time.

"Paige?"

"Yeah?"

"Would it be okay if I took you to the airport tomorrow?" he asked softly. It was almost like he was afraid of her response.

The image of Spinner from over ten years before came into her mind. After the year end dace in grade nine, Spin had walked her home and asked her shyly on her front porch if she would maybe want to do something sometime. He had still been orange from his misuse of self-tanning lotion and looked like an Oompa Loompa as he shifted from one foot to the other and waited for her answer. He sounded just as nervous as he had at fifteen and she felt the same sense of free falling that she had then.

"As if I would say no to that," she answered, kissing him soundly, and giggled as he rolled her over onto her back.

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

Paige shifted uneasily from one foot to the other as she waited to board her plane. After much convincing, she had managed to talk Dylan and Marco into not coming with them. After everything that had happened she just wanted some alone time with Spinner.

He watched her biting her lip nervously and melted. He hated that Paige was leaving, more than he was willing to admit even to himself. The last few days had bee amazing. There was something about being with Paige that made him feel invincible-like he was king of the world and nothing could go wrong.

"So," she said, "this week …"

"Yeah?" he prodded.

She smiled up at him almost shyly. "It was amazing. One of the best I've had in a long, long time," she confessed before lowering her eyes to the ground.

Spinner stepped closer, tilting her chin up with his finger. Her eyes met his and he saw a few tears making the light blue green orbs glitter under the fluorescent lights of the airport.

"I'm really gonna miss you, Paige," he whispered.

Paige placed her hands on his face, standing up on her tip-toes to kiss him softly. "I'll miss you too, hon."

"Promise you'll stop by the next time you're in town?" he asked as her hands fell down to his shoulders.

She beamed up at him, winding her arms around his neck and letting her fingers tangle in the hair at the back of his neck. He shivered involuntarily, memories of the past week flooding back to him.

Paige felt it, and had to fight the urge to let the plane take off without her. "Promise," she told him instead.

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

"Paige!"

Paige looked up when she heard her name and smiled, shaking her head. "I told you not to come." It was just like Terri to show up when Paige had specifically asked her not to.

"As if I would let you take a cab home after a week with your parents," Terri replied, engulfing her in a hug.

Paige returned the embrace, secretly delighted to have one of her best and oldest friends making a fuss over her. When she had first found out Terri was moving to Montreal three years earlier to open her own modeling agency she was thrilled and they had become inseparable ever since. It gave them both a small taste of home and the past in a very cold city.

"Are you sure you went to see your parents?" Terri asked, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Yes. Why?"

They had reached the luggage claim. Paige stooped to pick up he bags while Terri continued to study her. "You're glowing. That's why. You look like you went to a spa."

Paige flushed and didn't say anything to the comment. But she didn't need to. One look at the tiny, secretive smile on her friend's face and she knew what had happened.

"What's his name?" she asked.

"Who?"

Terri shook her head indulgently. "Whoever gave you that spring in your step."

Paige stopped and starred at her. "Spring?"

"Yes," Terri responded, "spring. So talk."

"No."

"What? Paige …" Terri complained.

Paige laughed, shaking her head at her friend's outrage. She knew if the situation was reversed, she would be just as curious.

"Please," Terri asked again, latching onto Paige's arm and shaking it as they made their way out to Terri's car.

"Fine," Paige relented, "his name is Gavin."

"Gavin?" Terri's nose wrinkled involuntarily at the name. Then her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in realization. "You mean … **Spinner**?!"

Paige nodded, letting her smile finally break free. "It was amazing."

Terri hugged her. "Oh my gosh, how did this even happen?"

They got into the car, Paige telling the story on the way to the apartment complex where they both lived, and Terri listened, enraptured.

"Are you going to see him again?"

They got out of the car, walking slowly to the front gate. Paige sighed. "I don't know, Ter. Spin lives in Toronto, I live here. It's not exactly ideal."

"But if you guys were together, the obviously something's still there," Terri remarked as Paige unlocked her door and stepped into her apartment.

She sat her bags by the door and collapsed onto her couch. She hated flying. "You really need to grow out of this hopeless romantic thing, hon. It was … nice. And now it's just another wonderful memory."

"Nice?" Terri asked in disbelief. "Nice doesn't make you glow like that."

"Okay, really nice," Paige conceded. "Perfect. But that doesn't mean I'm harboring grand romantic notions about a happily ever after. It was a fling."

Terri had known Paige long enough to know when she was trying to downplay something. Whatever had happened with Spinner while she was in Toronto had affected her more than she was willing to admit. And that was okay for the time being. She would when she was ready. "Whatever you say, Paige."

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

"You have to go to a doctor," Terri said sternly.

"I'm fine," Paige insisted. She was currently stretched out on her couch, too weak to even make it to her bedroom.

"You are not fine. You've had this, whatever it is, for almost two weeks. Paige, you threw up on your boss today. You need a doctor."

"I'm just tired," she told her. "I've been killing myself to make up for a week off. I just need some sleep and I'll be fine."

It was all Terri could do not to shake some sense into her. She was right about working too hard, but it was more than that. She had watched Paige steadily grow paler and more worn out by the day. But Paige was one of the most stubborn people she had ever met. There was no way she would go to a doctor when she was dead set against it. "Paige, honey, you look like death. You have no energy, no appetite. Please."

"Fine," she said in exasperation. "I'll go tomorrow."

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

Terri burst into Paige's apartment. She had called while Terri was in a meeting, leaving a near hysterical message on her voicemail. "Paige!"

She ran all through the apartment, growing more and more panicked by the second until she finally found Paige in her room, sitting stoically on her bed, staring a framed photo in her hands.

"Paige," Terri sighed, a mix of relief, terror, and annoyance in her voice, "what's wrong?"

She sat beside her on the bed, her arm going around Paige's shoulders as she continued to stare at the picture she was holding. Terri glanced at it, seeing it was a selection of old images from grade seven through high school. The smiling faces of the two of them, Ash, Hazel, Spinner, Jimmy, Marco, Ellie, and even Craig from different phases in their lives looked back up at them from behind the glass.

"Do you ever think that if you had known the way your life turn out, you would have done everything differently?" Paige asked quietly.

"Okay, you're starting to scare me here. What did the doctor say? Are you alright? Are you sick?"

Paige glanced up. Terri's heart broke at the look in her eyes. She was obviously terrified about something and it had to do with the picture she was holding.

"Paige," she repeated, "are you okay?"

"I'm pregnant."

…0...0...0...0...0...0...


	8. Chapter 8

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

"How do you think Spin's going to react?" Terri asked, pouring Paige a cup of tea. She was much calmer now than she had been when Terri found her. But four hours of non stop crying would do that to a person.

Paige ran a hand through her hair distractedly. "I have no idea."

Terri sat the cup down in front of her, settling herself in the chair across the table. "You don't think he'll be upset, do you?"

"I don't know," Paige answered honestly, "I'm freaked, but Spinner … he's never handled bad news well."

Terri's eyebrows rose at Paige's words. "Bad news?"

"What would you call it?" she asked.

"A surprise, an accident, maybe. But not bad news. Paige, it's a baby."

"Yeah. A baby I didn't plan and don't want," she told her.

"You're not thinking of getting an …" Terri began, but Paige cut her off.

"Maybe," she replied with a shrug. "I have no clue what I'm going to do. This … it just wasn't what I wanted."

"I think you need to discuss this with Spinner before you make a decision," Terri suggested calmly.

"It's not like he's going to be happy about this. Can you see Spin with a baby?"

Terri shrugged. "Maybe. I think Spin would make a great dad. He's a big kid himself."

"My point exactly," Paige said.

She got up and walked into the living room, clasping the tea tightly in her hands but not drinking it. She came to a stop in front of her mantle, staring at an picture of her, Spin, and Marco taken at her parent's party the month before. Dylan had sent it to her and she framed it right away. Paige studied the image closely, she had been doing that most of the day; gazing at old photos to determine what she could have done to change things. Spinner's face smiled back at her and her stomach knotted painfully. She had been honest when she said she had no idea what he was going to do when he found out. But she had to tell him, she cared too much about him not to be honest with him. He deserved it. Even if she decided not to have the baby.

"I have to talk to him," she announced and instantly headed to her room to begin packing.

Terri followed her, hoping that her common sense would win out over her spontaneity. "Paige, you're not thinking of flying to Toronto tonight, are you? Don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"I can't do this over the phone, Ter. And it can't wait," Paige told her, throwing clothes into her overnight bag. "Spin needs to know, and I can't make this decision without talking to him first. It's not fair," She glanced up at her friend's sympathetic face as she pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "Will you drive me to the airport?"

"Like you even have to ask," Terri responded, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they walked to the door.

…0...0...0...0...0...0...

Spinner was sleeping deeply, better than he had in a long time, when he heard a pounding on his door. With a groan, he got up and shuffled half asleep to the door.

"Paige?"

Leaning up against the wall outside his door, she looked up at him pathetically. Alarm filled him instantly as he moved to let her walk through the door.

"What's wrong?"

Paige sat on his couch, her hands clasped together on her folded lap. She breathed deeply, trying to steel her courage, as she focused on the floor for strength.

The first time, there in front of his fireplace, had left a stain from their coffee on his beige carpeting that no amount of Spin's scrubbing had been able to erase. That spot symbolized so much. Much more than he realized. And now, here looking at it when she had to tell him about the baby, she felt as if it were mocking her.

"Paige, you're freaking me out here. What's going on?" he asked a panicked lilt to his voice as he sat beside her on the sofa.

"Spin, I need you to promise me that you're not going to overreact," she told him calmly.

He nodded, but in realizing her eyes were still fixed on the floor, said the words and hoped they would help her in some way.

Paige took a deep breath to try and force the words out, but nothing came out, so she tried again. "Spinner … there's something I have to tell you. And I'm not sure how you're going to feel about it."

"You can tell me anything. You know that," he said slowly.

She nodded, still unable to look at him. "When I was here …" She trailed off, not knowing how to actually say the words. It was harder than it had been with Terri. She had still been in shock, and it wasn't life changing for Terri like it was for Spinner. "When we …"

Spinner placed his hand over hers on her lap, wanting to comfort her but not quite sure what she needed. He just had to let her know that he was there.

At the touch of Spinner's hand on hers, a thousand reminiscences of their interludes assaulted Paige and she jumped off the couch. Anything to get away from him at the exact moment when all she wanted to do was sink into him and never come out; when she needed him more than ever.

Spinner was confused and slightly hurt by Paige's actions. He was only trying to help her after all. "Paige?"

"I'm pregnant, Spin. I'm … I'm pregnant." Repeating it seemed to make it more real, more true than it had been before. Almost as if telling Spin brought the whole situation crashing in around her and she broke into racking sobs.

Spin had his arms around her in seconds, holding her tightly as her tears soaked through the thin cotton of his tee shirt.

"Shh, Paige, it's okay," he whispered soothingly, "It's all going to fine."

She clutched at the back of his shirt tighter and buried her face into his chest. This was what she needed; for Spin to tell her that it wasn't the end of the world. To make it all better for her just like he used to.

She pulled back reluctantly, wiping at her eyes in embarrassment at having broken down the way she had.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

She nodded. "I think I'm getting there."

Spinner smiled at her, wiping a few stray tears away from her cheeks. "If you need anything, Paige, anything at all, you know I'm here for you."

"I know," she replied. Why had she been so nervous about this? Spinner was being so great about it all. She never should have doubted that he would be any less than completely wonderful.

"I mean it," he continued, "whether the guy wants to be involved or not, you have me."

Paige froze, her head starting to throb from the effects of the day. She stared at him, her mouth open in shock, and watched his face fall at her expression.

"Paige? What's wrong?" Spinner asked, concern erasing the sympathy his face had previously held.

"Spin," she choked out, "don't … don't you get it?"

"Get what? You're pregnant, right? What exactly am I missing?"

Paige turned around, facing his wall as she tried to wrap her head around what was going on. He didn't realize what she was saying, why she had just flown all the way there in the middle of the night.

Spinner came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. The warmth from his palms seeped into her chilly skin and she shivered. But whether it was from the temperature, the feel of Spin's hands, or the situation she wasn't sure.

"What is it?" he asked quietly. "Does he not want to be involved?"

Paige faced him slowly, knowing instinctively that this news was going to break his heart. She took in his face, so open and trusting just as it had always been, and swallowed the huge lump that had risen in her throat.

"Spin, it's yours," she said bluntly, figuring it was better to just have it all out in the open as fast as possible.

"Mine?" His brow wrinkled in confusion like he didn't understand the words. And she watched, silently, as the truth sank in and his face cleared in comprehension.

"You mean," his voice cracked and he cleared his throat before continuing, "the baby … it's …" He looked at her, his eyes pleading with her to say it wasn't so; that she was mistaken or lying or something. But she could only drop her head in confirmation.

Spinner gasped, feeling every breath leave his body. He felt like he had just been swept up into a hurricane and spit back out. Everything went silent at first and then there was a rushing noise in his ears as it sunk in.

And then, it was if the storm broke for him and everything cleared up. The calmness set in when he realized that Paige was having a baby-his baby. **They** were having a baby.

Once more, he pulled her to him in a tight hug. Paige misread his embrace as sadness and wrapped her own arms around him equally as tight.

"Spin, I'm so sorry," she whispered into his ear.

"For what?"

"This was an accident. We never meant for this to happen … I am so sorry," she explained.

Spinner pulled back from her, causing her arms to fall away from his neck, and looked at her in pure befuddlement. "Why are you sorry? Do you … do you not want it?"

"I don't know," she told him honestly.

"Paige, this is, this is us. You and me. You can't …" he broke off, unable to actually say the words.

"I don't want to be a mom, Spin. You knew that," she said as a tiny swell of anger began to rise up inside of her.

"Yeah, I did," he admitted, "but that was when it was all just hypothetical. There's a real baby now."

Paige shook her head. "It's not a baby yet, it's a fetus."

Spin turned abruptly and punched the wall beside his fireplace. "Damn it, Paige. That is such a cop out and you know it."

"Cop out?" she yelled. "I didn't ask for this, Spinner."

"But it's happening. You're pregnant, and it's mine, and I'm not going to let you kill it," he told her. He was fairly shaking with rage and Paige had to admit she was a little frightened in that moment.

She took a deep breath. This was getting them nowhere. "Spinner, let's be honest here. Are you really ready to be a parent?"

"I already am," he stated bluntly and his eyes fell to her stomach.

A wave of deep sadness and empathy washed over Paige and she hated herself for doing this to him. If she had just kept her mouth shut they wouldn't be in this mess.

"I just want to do the right thing," she said sadly.

"For who?"

"For everyone. I don't want this, and this baby deserves better than a mother who feels like it's a mistake," Paige told him.

"A mistake?"

Hs voice was a small and hurt and Paige couldn't remember the last time she had heard him sound like that. She knew what he was thinking; if the baby was a mistake then they were a mistake.

"I didn't mean it that way," she whispered.

Spinner nodded, his jaw clenched tightly ad his fists balled tat his sides. He was looking everywhere but at her and it cut her deeply than she could ever admit that she had done this to them.

"Would you consider getting married?" he asked after a few moments.

"What?!" Paige all but collapsed on the couch. Things were getting way out of hand here.

"It would solve the problem, wouldn't it?"

She stared at him incredulously. "How would that solve **anything**?"

"It's the right thing to do," he replied simply.

"Still not seeing how it would actually **solve** anything," she snapped.

Spinner came over and crouched down in front of the couch, taking her hands in his. "Paige," he began with sincerity etched into every inch of his face, "we could make this work. You know I still feel …"

"Spinner, don't," she said bluntly.

"I want to do the right thing," he said again.

"Marriage isn't necessarily the right thing. We haven't been together in ten years. It can't be like it was just because there's a baby," She thought reasoning with him might work. Spinner had a tendency to get overly emotional and irrational about things and sometimes logic could get through to him.

"Okay," he said and for a moment she thought that maybe she had gotten through to him. Then he started talking again. "What if, what if you let me raise it?"

"By yourself?" As hard as she tried, she couldn't keep the shock or doubt out of her voice.

Spinner's face darkened. "You don't think I can raise a baby by myself?"

"Hon, a baby is a huge responsibility. Especially for one person. I'm thinking of you here," she told him.

"Sounds like you've already made up your mind then," Spinner said bitterly. He released her hands and sat back on the floor, his eyes looking blankly at the floor in front of the couch.

"Spinner, I don't want you to hate me," she implored.

"Why did you even tell me?" he asked stoically. "If you were never even open to the idea of having it, why come here? Why would you do that to me?"

"You deserved to know," Paige answered.

Spinner gave her an accusatory look that said exactly what he thought of her comment. "I deserved to know that you're going to kill our baby?"

"Spin …"

"Don't!" He stood and began pacing around the room, his hands fisting in his hair of their own accord. "God, Paige … I wish you had never told me."

"I'm sorry," she told him again. But this time her words broke over the tears that had begun to fall down her face.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

She shook her head.

"Then I guess we have a problem," he told her.

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	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Very short update, but moves the plot along to where it needs to go. And adding it to the next chapter would make it insanely long.**_

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"You want something to eat?" Spinner asked slowly.

Paige rolled her eyes. He had asked her that ten times in the last hour.

"Spin, I'm fine," she assured told him.

He stood from his seat on the couch and walked over to her at the kitchen table and looked at her worriedly. "Are you sure? I mean, you've bee here for two hours. And after that flight … do you want to lie down?"

"I repeat; I. Am. Fine." Paige told him.

"But Paige …"

She stood, gathering her stuff, and looked at him seriously, effectively cutting off his reply. "Are you going to be okay?"

Spinner had already looked dejected enough, but her question seemed to drain every last bit of energy he had out of him. He looked like a ghost of the Spinner she knew as he eyed her with a clear note of hostility.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters," she told him. "I could never leave here knowing I hurt you and live with myself, Spin."

Spinner was sitting on the couch, elbows on his knees, looking more dejected than Paige had ever seen him. Her heart lurched painfully inside her chest with the overwhelming urge to sit and wrap her arms around him. To try and make it all better. But she knew Spin, and that was the last thing he would want at the moment.

"I'll uh … I'll call you when I get back to Montreal," she said instead.

He stood slowly, eyes fixed intently on hers and with coldness unlike anything she had ever witnessed. "Don't bother."

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Terri sat beside Paige on her bed, rubbing her back soothingly while she cried silently. She had known this was going to be hard on her; telling Spinner about the baby and what she wanted to do. But she hadn't imagined the drained look Paige was going to have on her face or the air of misery she was exuding.

And the fact that Paige wasn't talking about it made her worry all the more.

"Paige, honey," she said softly. "What happened?"

"He hates me, Terri. Spin hates me." Her words broke on his name, and the restrained sobs finally broke free, leaving her gasping for air.

Terri wrapped her arms around Paige and let her sob freely, stroking her hair while she murmured comforting words.

"Spinner's just angry. He'll get over it," Terri assured her. "He could never, ever hate you."

Paige sat up, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "You didn't see the look in his eyes. I've never seen his eyes that hard."

She seemed to shrink inside herself then, going to that place in her head that housed the worst moments of her life. The memory of Spinner, one of the people that went the deepest in her heart, gazing at her with the pain and accusation of what she herself had done to him now ranked as one of the worst of her life.

"I hurt him. So badly …"

"Paige, stop it," Terri said. "You did all you could. You went to Toronto, you told him, you gave him the chance to have a say."

Paige shook her head. "No, I didn't. My mind was already made up before I even got on that plane. I knew in my heart that Spin wasn't going to be able to change my mind. But I had to tell him. I had to make myself feel better."

"You thought you were doing the right thing."

Without even realizing it was happening, Paige's hands splayed themselves across her abdomen. She had already made the appointment at the doctor's office when she found out she was pregnant. Upon seeing her so distraught, her doctor had gone ahead and scheduled her just in case, leaving her with the weekend to think it over.

"What … what if I'm not so sure anymore?"

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